Combined bicycle and scooter



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 26 1926.

R. G. LEDIG COMBINED BICYCLE AND SCOOTER Jan. 26 1926.

R. G. LVEDIG COMBINED BICYCLE AND SCOOTER Original Filed Sept .v 30, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ad wf .NNNNNQSNNN A Patented Jan. Zti, 192.6.

UNIE@ T ENCE.

RICHARD G. LEDIG, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 A. MECKY COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, EENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

Original application filed. September 30, 1924, Serial No. 740,719. Divided and this application led April be used as a bicycle or a scooter, the present application being a division of a contemporaneously pending application filed by me r September 80th, 1924, Serial No. 740,719.

My invention further relates to such a vehicle, which may be used either as a scooter having two wheels and a steering device, or in the usual way as a bicycle, without any change in the position of the body of the rider.

My invention further consists in a novel construction of the bicycle frame, which in the present instance is preferably formed of flat strips, which can be readily cut to the desired lengths and assembled cheaply and expeditiously, whereby a light, rigid and desirable fra-me is produced, upon which the bicycle elements and the scooter board are readily secured.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred by me, since they will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangen'ient and organization of these instriunentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation ot a novel combined bicycle and scooter embodying my invention.

Figure 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a section on line 3 8 of Figure sensu No. 21,761.

Figure 4 represents a section on line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 represents a section on line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 represents a section on line 6 6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 represents a front elevation of a novel handle bar construction.

Figure 8 represents a perspective view of a handle bar yoke.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures. Referring to the drawings v 1 and 2 designate the lower or main frame members of my novel vehicle, comprising the metallic strips preferably of steel, adapted to be mounted on the front and rear wheels 3 and 4 and to support the saddle or seat 5 and the rear wheel driving vmechanism 6. rThe rear of the frame members 1 and 2 eX- tends horizontally while their front ends are inclined upwardly from a point about midway of their length, and have secured to their front extremities at 7, the steering knuckle pivot 8, by means of the strap 9, whose ends are secured within or to the fre-nt converging ends of the frame members 1 and 2 by means of rivets 10 or any other suitable fastening means. The axle 11 of the rear wheel 4 is supported directly in the rear of the frame members 1 and 2,by passing the same through suitable apertures therein, the axle construction being of any well known type, either having a rigidly secured sprocket wheel or of a coaster brake type. The crank shaft 12 is supported on the frame members 1 and 2 respectively at a suitable distance in front of the rear wheel, so as to place the pedals within easy reach of the foot of the driver seated on the saddle 5. Instead of the usual expensive construction employed in bicycles made heretofore, in providing the crank housing or hanger integral with the frame, I am enabled by means of my novel fiat strip frame construction, to support the crank shaft 12 on a crank shaft bearing yoke 1B, resting vand supported on the two frame members 1 and 2 respectively, by means of the two transverse members 14. In this Cil novel construction, as best shown in Figures 3 and 4, the transverse members 14: integral with and forming part of the crank shaft yoke, are positioned and held on the frame members 1 and 2, by means ot the slight recesses 15, in which the edges of the trame members 1 and 2 seat, thereby preventing any lateral displacement ot the crank shaft yoke with respect to the frame. The lower transverse yokes or bars 16` having` similar recesses 17 for seating the edges of the trame members l and 2, the bolts 1S and the nuts 19, lock the crank shaft bearing yoke 13 securely to the frame members 1 and 2. By means of this novel construe tion the distance between the rear wheel axle 11 and the crank shaft 12 may be readily adjusted at any time, so as to take up any slack in the driving chain 20, thereby also eliminating the setserew adjustment of the rear wheel employed heretofore in bicycle construction. Said set-screw adjustment commonly employed in bicycles made heretofore, in addition to being expensive to construct, requires considerable skill for the proper setting thereof and is liable to throw the rear wheel out of alignment with the frame at any time, since the true alignment of the rear wheel, in such construction, depends on two independent screw threads. Thus in my novel construction, the rear wheel axle 11, and hence the rear wheel il is rctained securely and in labsolute valignment at all times with the frame of the bicycle and the steering knuckle pivot 8, oi the same, due to the rigid support afforded the roar wheel axle 11 by .fixed and accurate axle openings in the rear ends of the trame members 1 and the driving sprocket wheel 21, carried by the crank shaft 12, is also contained within the frame 1, in contradistino tion to bicycle constructions employed heretofore, having the driving sprocket wheel on the outside ot the frame. rllhe crank shaft 12, as well as the crank arm 22, the cranks and the pedals 24, may be ot any standard construction. The crank shaft bearing yoke 13, and the lo-wer bars 1G, also act as braces between the two lower or main frame members 1 and 2 thereby making the irame rigid against any distortion.

The upper triangular seat or saddle trame 25 consists similarly ot pairs of flat strips and 27. secured at their lower extremities to the trame members 1 and 2, and having their upper extremities joined at 28. The lower extremities of the seat frame members 2G are secured at 29 to the rear ends of the lower or main frame members 1 and 2 respectively, by means oi rivets or any other suitable fastening means, while the seat irame members 27, are joined to the lower or main frame members 1 and il at a point 30, approximately midway ol the length ol' seid frame members, at the point where the front ends ot the frame members are turned up at a slight incline. The saddle or seat 5 ot the usual type, supported on the springs 31 and 32 and having the saddle post 33, is secured to the seat frame 25, in an adjustable manner, by means or a saddle post holder 5A secured perma nent-ly to the two rear seat frame members 26, and having a vertical opening therein for receiving the saddle post 38. letter positioning the saddle pos in the holder 31-, so as to bring the saddle 5 to the desired height or distance from the pedals 24T, the same is lined in said holder by means of the set screw 35.

The scooter board 3G is carried by and secured to the converging and inclined front end portions of the lower or main frame members 1 and 2, as shown particularly in Figures 2 and 5, by means of the angle pieces 37, riveted or otherwise secured to said frame members and to the lower face of said scooter board.

In my novel construction, the front fork and steering column are combined into one integral and continuous member 38, which is built up of two similar and parallel ilat strips 39 extending between the front axle 10 and the handle bars. rifhe front axle 40, rotatably supporting the front wheel 8 in said fork, passes through two aligned openings in the lower ends of said fork members Si), and is secured therein by means olf the nuts /11 threaded onto the ends oit said axle 10. The pivotal. connection between the main trame members 1 and 2 and the front fork and steering column member 38, is obtained by the two hinge plates L12, secured between the two strips 39, at the proper height, by rivets or other suitable fastening means, and having two openings therein, in parallel alignment with the steering column and trout fork 38. The steering knuckle pivot S, carried by the strap 9, passes through the hinge, openings in the plates 4t2, while the top and bottom l'iingc plates l2 straddle the strap` 57, thereby retaining the `lront fork and steering column member 38 against any longitudinal displacement relative to the main Jframe members.

The handle bars 43, including` the handle bar post Ll5, at a right angle thereto, v1re made ot a single and continuous rod. as shown in Figure 7, bent back on itself at Llo. so as to 'form the projection or post 15, and bent at right angles at 47, so as to form the horizontal handle bars, while the handles L18 are secured to the ends of the handle bars 43 in any suitable manner. The handle bars -ll are, secured to the steering column 38 by means ot a handle bar yoke el-ll permanently secured to and between the upper ends ol the fork members by means ot rivets or any other suitable histening means. The handle bar post il?, `extends through two aligned openings 49 in the handle bar yoke ele-2l', and is secured in'ian adjustable manner by means of the set screw 50, thus `permitting a ready adjustment of the handles.

The stand 5l, shown in Figs. l and 2,

also formed of a single continuous Aflat strip of metalof a U-shape, having the ends thereef pivotally secured to the saddle frame members Q6 at a point 52, and resting against the extensions of the rear axle 11. `When the stand 51 is not in use, it is swung up into an inclined position against the saddle frame members 26.

Among the several advantages of my novel construction, is the accessibility of the saddle or seat by either boys or girls, since the structure does not have any front. triangular frame member, such as is common in ordinary bicycles, or even the two superimposed parallel frame members, as is common practice in the construction of girls bicycles. By this novel construction I ob! tain the necessary clearance for the feet of the rider, without the straddling of any frame members, thus permitting the rider to alight or dismount from the saddle with perfeet freedom.

The scooter board mounted on the main frame, in front of the crank shaft and pedals, and at about the height of the pedals so as to be within easy reach of the feet of the rider, produces a novel and very desirable combination of bicycle and a scooter' or what may be called a power scooter.

By my novel construction, moreover, I produce a power scooter which may be mounted with great freedom and ease by either boys or girls, may be used to coast, either seated on the saddle or in standing position, and may be used as a foot driven bicycle.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful combined bicycle and scooter which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that such embodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus describe-d my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, an upper angular frame carrying a seat, a lower frame, composed of spaced apart, rear parallel substantially horizontal members and upwardly inclined converging front members, rear wheel driving mechanism,

carried on said rear members, and a centrab ly located scooter platform mounted on said front converging members and in advance of said rear wheel driving mechanism.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of front and rear wheels, a lower frame extending between said front and rear wheels, and composed of horizontal and front upwardly inclined portions, rear wheel driving mechanism carried by said lower horizontal portion, an upper angularly shaped saddle frame, a saddle carried by the rear member of said saddle frame, and a scooter platform carried by the front upwardly inclined portion of said lower frame.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of fron-t and rear wheels, a lower frame extending between the front and rear wheels, rear wheel driving mechanism carried by said frame, a front wheel fork and steering column pivotally mounted on the front end of said frame, an upper saddle frame having front and rear members, arranged at an angle to each other, a

saddle carried by the rear portion of said saddle frame, the front members' of said upper saddle frame being substantially parallel to said front wheel fork and steering column, and a scooter platform carried by the front portion of said lower frame in advance of said upper saddle frame.

t. In a device of the character described, a lower frame including two continuous and coextensive members, having their rear end portions spaced apart so as to form a. rear fork, and having a steering knuckle member secured between the front ends thereof, a rear wheel rotatably mounted in the rear fork, a rear wheel driving mechanism including pedals, mounted on said lower frame, an upper saddle frame mounted on the rear portion of said lower frame, a scooter platform mounted on the front portion of said lower frame and in advance of said upper frame, a combined front fork and steering column pivotally mounted en said steering knuckle member, and a front wheel rotatably mounted in said front fork.

5. In a bicycle, a lower main frame, consisting of a plurality of rails extending the length of the bicycle, and having their rear portions spaced apart and substantially parallel, so as to form a rear fork, and having their front end portions converging and secured to a steering knuckle member a scooter platform on the front portion of said lower frame, a rear wheel axle carried by the rear ends of said rail frame members, a rear wheel rotatably mounted on said rear axle within said rear fork, and a crank shaft bearing, mounted on said rails in advance of said rear wheel and secured to said rails and means for adjusting said crank shaft bearing longitudinally of said lower main frame.

G. In a bicycle, a lower main frame, composed of rails, whose rear portions are horizontally disposed and whose forward portions are upwardly inclined and converge forwardly, a saddle frame composed of upwardly converging members, secured together at their upper ends and having their lower ends secured to said lower frame, and a rearwardly inclined front fork substantially parallel to the front member of said saddle frame, in combination with a scooter board supported on the front of said lower main frame.

RICHARD G. LEDIG. 

